In the week ending March 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 336,000, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 334,000. The 4-week moving average was 339,750, a decrease of 7,500 from the previous week's revised average of 347,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent for the week ending March 9, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 9 was 3,053,000, an increase of 5,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,048,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,076,250, a decrease of 28,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,104,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 299,143 in the week ending March 16, a decrease of 18,383 from the previous week. There were 319,498 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.7 percent during the week ending March 9, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,437,345, a decrease of 64,575 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,501,920. A year earlier, the rate was 3.0 percent and the volume was 3,815,580.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending March 2 was 5,369,007, a decrease of 250,853 from the previous week. There were 7,284,741 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2012.

Extended Benefits were available only in Alaska during the week ending March 2.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,077 in the week ending March 9, a decrease of 182 from the prior week. There were 2,489 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 14 from the preceding week.

There were 20,717 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 2, a decrease of 807 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 38,291, a decrease of 995 from the prior week.

States reported 1,780,843 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 2, a decrease of 136,315 from the prior week. There were 2,852,383 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2012. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 9 were in Georgia (+1,678), Florida (+802), Pennsylvania (+801), Ohio (+741), and Texas (+640), while the largest decreases were in New York (-7,248), California (-6,189), Illinois (-1,172), Kansas (-1,098), and Alabama (-1,083).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance March 16

March. 9

Change

March. 2

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

336,000

334,000

+2,000

342,000

364,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

299,143

317,526

-18,383

335,680

319,498

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

339,750

347,250

-7,500

349,250

368,500

WEEK ENDING

Advance March. 9

March 2

Change

Feb 23

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,053,000

3,048,000

+5,000

3,113,000

3,383,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,437,345

3,501,920

-64,575

3,611,062

3,815,580

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,076,250

3,104,250

-28,000

3,126,500

3,410,000

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.4%

2.4%

0.0

2.4%

2.7%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.7%

2.7%

0.0

2.8%

3.0%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

March 9

March 2

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

1,077

1,259

-182

1,216

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,489

2,475

+14

2,508

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

March 2

Feb. 23

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,494,249

3,603,285

-109,036

3,850,002

Federal Employees (UCFE)

20,717

21,524

-807

25,728

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

38,291

39,286

-995

41,356

EUC 20083

1,780,843

1,917,158

-136,315

2,852,383

Extended Benefits4

544

549

-5

461,625

State Additional Benefits 5

4,807

8,064

-3,257

4,896

STC / Workshare 6

29,556

29,994

-438

48,751

TOTAL

5,369,007

5,619,860

-250,853

7,284,741

FOOTNOTES
SA - Seasonally Adjusted Data, NSA - Not Seasonally Adjusted Data
1 - Prior year is comparable to most recent data.
2 - Most recent week used covered employment of 128,613,913 as denominator.
3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls
4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp
5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate,
and the extent of benefits paid, can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf
6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf